Appeal Court Reduces Sentence
Ilyas El Maliki is Free – The Court of Appeal in El Jadida delivered its verdict today, sentencing prominent Moroccan YouTuber Ilyas El Malki to two months in prison. This marks a reduction from the initial four-month sentence issued in the primary case involving accusations of incitement to hatred and discrimination. The complaints, originally lodged by Amazigh associations and public figures, were withdrawn prior to the ruling.
The revised sentence enables El Malki to leave the local prison in El Jadida by the end of the day. This development follows weeks of legal proceedings and widespread public attention.
Initial Conviction: Hate Speech and Discrimination
In the initial ruling, El Malki faced four months of imprisonment for charges of discrimination. However, he was acquitted of the incitement to hatred allegations, a central focus of the complaints. These accusations had drawn significant attention from Amazigh advocacy groups, though the withdrawal of their grievances played a pivotal role in the appeal process.
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A Second Legal Case Emerges
Last Thursday, El Malki was convicted in a separate case. The court sentenced him to a three-month suspended prison term, a reduction from the initial three-month custodial sentence and a fine of 2,000 Moroccan dirhams.
This second case involved serious accusations, including incitement to discrimination and hatred using digital platforms, gender-based discrimination, and the dissemination of content intended to harm individuals’ private lives. The charges also encompassed defamation, psychological and economic violence against women, and verbal abuse.
Women’s Rights Groups Take Action
The second case originated from a formal complaint filed by 38 women’s rights and human rights organizations to Morocco’s Chief Prosecutor. These organizations cited specific digital content published by Ilyas El Maliki, which they argued perpetuated harmful stereotypes and targeted individuals based on their gender. This legal action brought additional scrutiny to his digital activity and sparked a broader conversation on the limits of online speech.
A Turning Point for Ilyas El Maliki?
Will this court ruling mark the beginning of a new chapter for Ilyas El Maliki? With the Kings League—a highly anticipated event—just around the corner, many wonder whether El Malki will pivot towards more constructive content or continue his trademark approach steeped in controversy. The coming weeks will likely reveal whether the YouTuber’s experiences in court serve as a catalyst for change or merely a pause in his usual style of online engagement.
